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The total number of women filing income tax returns in India has shot up by a robust 25.3 per cent in the last four years from 1.83 crore in assessment year (AY) 2019-20 to over 2.29 crore in AY 2023-24, according to figures compiled by the Income Tax Department.  

This reflects the increasing number of women getting well-paid jobs or running their own business ventures, a senior official said.

The total number of income tax returns (ITRs), that include both individuals and corporates, in AY 2023-24 crossed 7.97 crore.

The data show that Maharashtra accounted for the largest number of women ITRs with as many as 36,83,457 in AY24 registering a 23 per cent growth. Gujarat was ranked second with 22,50,098 women filing ITRs, registering a 24.4 per cent growth, while Uttar Pradesh came at the third spot with 20,43,794 ITRs and a strong growth of 29.2 per cent during this period.

Similar growth trends have been recorded in other major states. The number of women ITR filers jumped by over 20 per cent in Tamil Nadu from 12,92,028 in AY20 to 15,51,769 while in the case of Karnataka, there was an increase of 20 per cent from 11,34,903 to 14,30,345, during the four-year period. Punjab recorded a 36.23 per cent from 9,70,801 in AY20 to 13,22,580 AY24 and Rajasthan by 25.49 per cent to 13,52,202.

Small states and Union Territories such as Jammu & Kashmir and Mizoram also recorded a sharp rise in women filing income-tax returns between 2019-20 and 2023-24. Mizoram posted a 96 per cent increase in the number of women filers to 2,090 and J&K, a 49.2 per cent growth to 1,17,514.